MOSCOW, February 4 (RAPSI) – Anton Belyakov, a member of the upper house of Russia’s parliament, has submitted a bill to the lower house, the State Duma, to cancel parole for people imprisoned for sexual offences against children, RIA Novosti reported on Wednesday.

The MP has also proposed banning the replacement of the remaining term of punishment with a milder penalty for these criminals. He argues that pedophiles who are released on parole often resume their criminal activities soon after their release.

“There are serious grounds to say that people with this sexual aberration who have been convicted for sexual offences against minors attack children again in the first year of their release, including on parole,” Belyakov said. He believes that the longer sexual offenders are isolated from society, the better for society.

In some countries, pedophiles are released on parole only if they agree to undergo chemical castration. They are also closely watched by parole officers. The United States has a special system for warning people about released sexual offenders in their neighborhood. Their photographs are posted on open-access resources, and in some states information about these people must be placed on their homes or apartments.

Belyakov believes that his proposal would not infringe on constitutional provisions or the basic principles of criminal law, but would help strengthen the safety of Russian children and teenagers.

At present, pedophiles can be sentenced to life in Russia if they are repeat offenders, in which case they may also face chemical castration. First-time offenders face a maximum penalty of 20 years behind bars, even if their actions led to the death of a child.